Relations with India can be improved after Lok Sabha elections, says Pakistan Defence Minister

Pakistan Defence Minister daydreams

Pakistan Defence Minister, Khawaja Asif has expressed hopes for betterment in bilateral ties with India. Credit – Firstpost.

Islamabad (Pakistan) – As India continuously accused Pakistan of sponsoring terrorism across its borders, Pakistan Defence Minister, Khawaja Asif has expressed hopes for betterment in bilateral ties with India after the country comes out of its election phase poised to be held from 19th April and ending in June, as per the reports. Asif’s comments came days after External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar in Singapore said that Pakistan is sponsoring terrorism almost at an “industry level” and the mood in India now is not to overlook terrorists and “it will not skirt this problem anymore”.

In 2019, Pakistan downgraded its diplomatic ties with New Delhi after the Indian Government abrogated Article 370 of the Constitution, revoking the special status of Jammu and Kashmir, bifurcating the State into two Union Territories and recalled its ambassador from India. The decision, Islamabad said, undermined the environment for holding talks between the neighbours.

Pakistan has been insisting that the onus of improving the ties was on India and urging it to undo its “unilateral” steps in Kashmir as a sort of pre-condition to start the talks. India has dismissed the suggestion and made it clear to Pakistan that the entire Union Territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh were integral and inalienable parts of the country.

Editorial Perspective

Rather than daydreaming of such scenarios, Pakistan should first stop the terrorist activities being carried out in India. They should shut down the terrorist training camps, stop the atrocities against Hindus in Pakistan, provide them protection and return the Pakistan-occupied Kashmir to India. India should tell Pakistan that, If they do so, then India can consider improving relations with Pakistan.